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Former college student indicted in connection with boyfriend's graduation day suicide

Student charged with involuntary manslaughter

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Updated: 12:58 PM EDT Oct 28, 2019

Former college student indicted in connection with boyfriend's graduation day suicide

Student charged with involuntary manslaughter

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Updated: 12:58 PM EDT Oct 28, 2019

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NEWSCENTER 5’S NICHOLE BERLIE IS LIVE IN BOSTON WITH THIS UPSETTING CASE. NICHOLE: THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNOUNCING THE INDICTMENT OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF HER BOYFRIEND AND FORMER B C STUDENT. THE 22-YEAR-OLD JUMPED FROM THE ROOF OF THE RENAISSANCE OTELCO GARAGE THE DAY -- HOTEL GARAGE THE DAY HE WAS SENT TO GRADUATE FROM BOSTON COLLEGE. THEY HAD AN 18-MONTH RELATIONSHIP. THERE WAS A BARRAGE OF EVIDENCE, INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF TEXT MESSAGES SHOWING SHE ENCOURAGED HIM TO KILL HIMSELF. >> YOU SHOULD KNOW IN THE TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO HIS DEATH, THE COUPLE EXCHANGED MORE THAN 75,000 TEXTS, OF WHICH SHE SENT MORE THAN 47,000. MANY CLEARLY DISPLAYED T POWER DYNAMIC IN THE RELATIONSHIP WHERE SHE MADE THE MAN’S AND THREATS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING SHE HAD COMPLETE AND TOTAL CONTROL, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. NICHOL THE DEFENDANT IS FROM SOUTH KOREA WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY. THE DA SAYS THEY WILL WORK TO BRING HER BACK TO THE U.S. THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE MICHELLE CARTER CASE, WHO WAS CONVICTED OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLA

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Former college student indicted in connection with boyfriend's graduation day suicide

Student charged with involuntary manslaughter

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Updated: 12:58 PM EDT Oct 28, 2019

A former Boston College student was indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with her boyfriend's suicide, District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced Monday morning.Rollins said the victim, Alexander Urtula, 22, jumped to his death from the top of the Renaissance Parking Garage in Roxbury on May 20, approximately 90 minutes before he was scheduled to graduate from Boston College. His family was in town to witness the ceremony, Rollins said. Inyoung You, 21, of South Korea, was physically, verbally and psychologically abusive toward the victim during the course of their "tumultuous" 18-month relationship, Rollins said."The abuse became more frequent, more powerful and more demeaning in the days and hours leading up to Mr. Urtula's untimely death," Rollins said. You was indicted by a grand jury Oct. 18.A search of Urtula's cellphone led investigators to look into the abuse in the relationship, Rollins said. The couple exchanged more than 75,000 text messages in the two months prior to Urtula's death. "Many of the messages clearly display the power dynamic in the relationship, where Ms. You made demands and threats with the understanding that she had complete control over Mr. Urtula, both mentally and emotionally," Rollins said. "The abuse was witnessed by family and classmates of both parties and documented extensively in text messages between Ms. You and Mr. Urtula, and in Mr. Urtula's journal entries," the also DA said. On the morning of Urtula's death, Rollins said You was tracking his location through his cellphone. She went to the garage and was present at the time of the suicide. "The investigation revealed Ms. You used manipulative attempts and threats of self-harm to control Mr. Urtula and isolate him from friends and family," Rollins said. "It also found that Ms. You was aware of his spiraling depression and suicidal thoughts brought on by the abuse. Even still, she continued to encourage Mr. Urtula to take his own life."You is currently in South Korea, Rollins said.This would not be the first time a person was charged with manslaughter in connection with the suicide of a boyfriend in Massachusetts. In 2017, Michelle Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 18-year-old Conrad Roy III's death following a bench trial in which a judge - rather than a jury - decided her fate. The judge found then-17-year-old Carter caused Roy's 2014 death when she ordered him to get back in his carbon monoxide-filled truck that he'd parked in a Kmart parking lot.Carter, now 22, is serving a 15-month jail sentence in the case. Her request for parole was rejected in September. The case inspired a bill, referred to as Conrad's Law, which would establish a penalty of up to five years in state prison for someone who intentionally coerces or encourages another person's suicide or who provides the means for a suicide or suicide attempt. Help is available for anyone with thoughts of suicide through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. —

A former Boston College student was indicted on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with her boyfriend's suicide, District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced Monday morning.

Rollins said the victim, Alexander Urtula, 22, jumped to his death from the top of the Renaissance Parking Garage in Roxbury on May 20, approximately 90 minutes before he was scheduled to graduate from Boston College. His family was in town to witness the ceremony, Rollins said.

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Inyoung You, 21, of South Korea, was physically, verbally and psychologically abusive toward the victim during the course of their "tumultuous" 18-month relationship, Rollins said.

"The abuse became more frequent, more powerful and more demeaning in the days and hours leading up to Mr. Urtula's untimely death," Rollins said.

You was indicted by a grand jury Oct. 18.

Suffolk County DA

Alexander Urtula and Inyoung You

A search of Urtula's cellphone led investigators to look into the abuse in the relationship, Rollins said. The couple exchanged more than 75,000 text messages in the two months prior to Urtula's death.

"Many of the messages clearly display the power dynamic in the relationship, where Ms. You made demands and threats with the understanding that she had complete control over Mr. Urtula, both mentally and emotionally," Rollins said.

"The abuse was witnessed by family and classmates of both parties and documented extensively in text messages between Ms. You and Mr. Urtula, and in Mr. Urtula's journal entries," the also DA said.

On the morning of Urtula's death, Rollins said You was tracking his location through his cellphone. She went to the garage and was present at the time of the suicide.

"The investigation revealed Ms. You used manipulative attempts and threats of self-harm to control Mr. Urtula and isolate him from friends and family," Rollins said. "It also found that Ms. You was aware of his spiraling depression and suicidal thoughts brought on by the abuse. Even still, she continued to encourage Mr. Urtula to take his own life."

You is currently in South Korea, Rollins said.

This would not be the first time a person was charged with manslaughter in connection with the suicide of a boyfriend in Massachusetts.

In 2017, Michelle Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 18-year-old Conrad Roy III's death following a bench trial in which a judge - rather than a jury - decided her fate. The judge found then-17-year-old Carter caused Roy's 2014 death when she ordered him to get back in his carbon monoxide-filled truck that he'd parked in a Kmart parking lot.

Carter, now 22, is serving a 15-month jail sentence in the case. Her request for parole was rejected in September.

The case inspired a bill, referred to as Conrad's Law, which would establish a penalty of up to five years in state prison for someone who intentionally coerces or encourages another person's suicide or who provides the means for a suicide or suicide attempt.